Ritam Halder, Hindustan Times  New Delhi, January 19, 2014

 First Published: 22:15 IST(19/1/2014) | Last Updated: 10:10 IST(20/1/2014)

Delhi’s law minister Somnath Bharti was back in Khirki Extension on Sunday where he held a mini janata darbar and warned foreigners of the AAP’s wrath if they didn’t follow the law of the land. Soon after, an FIR was registered against unknown persons in connection with Bharti’s Wednesday night raid in the south Delhi area over an alleged sex and drug racket.

“If there are good people, irrespective of their nationality, who are here to study or work, they will be welcomed. However, if they dance naked, sell drugs and run sex rackets, then there won’t be anyone worse than us. These people will have to leave,” Bharti said.

His words drew applause from the crowd. Residents claimed they had conducted a sting too, dubbed by them as ‘black beauty’, to find proof of prostitution and drugs.

“We saw clients, pimps, customers, drugs and prostitution. I’ve no problem with Nigerians or Ugandans. However, if foreigners think it is fine to ignore our laws, it’s not done. Top police officials, businessmen and political leaders are involved in this nexus of drug and sex trade,” the minister said.

Bharti’s visit coincided with a protest at Jantar Mantar where many termed the raid ‘racially-motivated’.

“The complaints of so-called drug and sex rackets need to be seen in the context of organised racism,” said Aastha Chauhan, an artist who works among the African community in Khirki.

“The SHO there has acted responsibly when he received racist complaints about how Africans’ food stinks or how women dress in short skirts,” Chauhan said.

Meanwhile, Bharti, who was accompanied by his cabinet colleague and area MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj, took on the Delhi police and said a false case had been prepared against him. “The police system of the city stinks. Delhi police might not be under us but if they do something against people who are innocent, we won’t spare them. If they think that by using this case based on false statements of criminals they will put me in jail, I don’t know how people will react,” the minister said.

 

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